When I was in Israel this spring, I was treated to a wonderful dinner at my cousin Zamy’s house in Netanya.  There was one dish, in particular, that I could not get enough of, a grilled tomato salad that was an accompaniment to the barbecue.  

Like my father, Zamy is from Romania. They share the trait of being the consummate welcoming host, loving to feed their guests sumptuous foods.

Zamy was gracious enough to send me the recipe.  I have been waiting for the tomatoes in my garden to be just right to make it myself. He told me that not only does it go with barbecue, but it is also a tasty addition to cheese sandwiches or omelets.  So we had a nice light summer dinner of cheese omelets and Zamy’s grilled tomato salad.

Cousin Zamy’s Romanian-style Grilled Tomato Salad

4 big tomatoes (from the garden)

6 big cloves of garlic (from the garden)

1 onion

2-3 hot green pepper (Depends on the sharpness you want) (from the garden – I had jalapenos, so that is what I used)

4 Tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

Directions

a. Roast the tomatoes and the green peppers on a Grill facility ( at medium heat) until skin is charred or easy to peel.

b. Remove the peel from the tomatoes and the green peppers and chop them on a cutting board.

c. Peel the onion and chop it finely on a cutting board.

d. Peel the garlic and crush it with a garlic press. 

e. Mix all the ingredients and add the olive oil, the Salt and the Ground black pepper.

Bon appetite